Orders to Apple's manufacturing partners for the second half of the year indicate iPhone shipments will grow roughly two-fold through a combination of existing iPhone 4 models and next-generation iPhone 5s, setting the company up for what's likely to be two consecutive record-breaking quarters in a row.

Apple this week continues to align component suppliers for its third-generation iPad, now expected to launch sometime in early 2012, including three primary LCD makers and two backlight-unit suppliers, according to a new report.

Apple is aligning with its far eastern component suppliers and manufacturers for a trial production of a high-resolution, third-generation iPad ahead of a planned launch in 2012, as the electronic maker looks to continue to outpace would-be rivals in the high-stakes tablet space, according to the Wall Street Journal.

A rumor that Apple is planning to invest $1 billion in a new Sharp factory for building screens for its iPhone and iPad products has resurfaced, just days after a separate report claimed that the next-generation iPad has been delayed in part because of production constraints from the supplier.

According to sources within Apple's supply chain partners, Apple has canceled its supply schedule for the iPad 3 in the second half of 2011 because of production constraints for higher-resolution display panels.

Apple is looking to merge its iOS and Mac OS X operating systems into one unified platform for applications and cloud services as soon as next year starting with the MacBook Air, one Wall Street analyst believes.

A new unverified report suggests that Apple intends to release its next-generation iPhone between Sept. 6 and Sept. 15 with an initial shipment of 4 million units, while suggesting that component shortages may have delayed the release of the next iPad until after this year's Thanksgiving holiday.

LCD display makers LG and Samsung are said to be close to landing significant orders from Apple to produce high-resolution low temperature polysilicon 2048-by-1536-pixel displays for a third-generation iPad.

A second investment research firm on Monday cited sources in Taiwan as indicating that Apple's fifth-generation iPhone will hit the market early in the third quarter and also did its part to pour cold water on rumors of an iPad 3 launch prior to next year and a low-cost iPhone in 2011.

A new report attempts to pour some cold water on persistent rumors of a third-generation iPad or long-term evolution 4G iPhone launching this year, and instead cites sources who believe both devices will arrive in 2012.

A new report late has lent credence to rumors that Apple's next iPhone will arrive in September and feature the A5 processor and an 8-megapixel camera, and also claims that a new iPad with a higher resolution screen is being tested by the company.